Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-03-16
How N OF 10 DO II.

Constitutional reform has within
couple Of days moved. sufficiently 70
show that there u some lie left In 1t
still, but ve doubt whether sufficient
to prolong such life beyond the hrst
OF November, the time that seems to DO
axed upon by the House COMMITTEES on
that subject for voting for or against
the calling OF constitutional State
The hopes OF the people
should not b raised to any considera-
BILE degree OF expectancy BY the propo-
sition that has beer offered. We have
already stated our view Of the matter
when 10 said that the only practicable
plan proposed 70 make constitutional
reform . sucoes4 was 10 permit the
people to vote for or against the calling
OF constitutional State convention on
the first Tuesday pf November, 1888. .
year later than the time proposed by
the House Committee Of the Legisla.
ture. Any other time for taking .
vote upon such m important subject
We believe will b. fatal to 1t, ct least
there are two chances for 1t to be .
failure than one for success Q year
later. The constitution requires that
10 amend itself BY this process, . ma
jorisy Of the highest vote cast 1t three
preceding State elections 10 required to
call Q State convention. Let rs see
how this will work. As We have
already stated in other articles upon
this subject, the highest vote ever cast
In Delaware was In 1882 In the contest
between Charles @. Stockley and
Albert Curry tor Governor, when
81 900 odd votes were polled. A ma
jority Of this vote In round numbers IL
5000. Does any body believe tina,
16. 900 can be polled In favor of cAllinl
. State constitutional convention mex
November In the present divided stat,
OF opinion upon that subject?
Be 1t remem bered that nothing les!
than 16. 600 votes "fot" convention
will call one, and not 1000 person.
voting either for or against one, IS sup.
posed by many. The only hope To-
calling . convention Is by full vote o
the people, and 1t is nonsense to expeo
that ct any other than ct genera
election for Q President. and Congress
man In 1888. At the last election
though Il Was for Governor, onl,
about 26. 900 votes were polled, which
without making any allowance 70
four years natural increase Of voters
showed that OF least s, 900 voters from
one cause or other, mostly from tenn
porary disfran chisement, did not vote
All who did not vote from the latte
cause last fall, Tor the same cause can
not vote next fall, but they can quslif
themselves and vote In 1888 TIL
disiranchised vote feeling the injustla
and rigors OF the laws under our pref
emit constitution, would all be In fave
of constitutional reform that woal
make Acknowledgement more diff Jul
than 1t is made under our present law
This vote will be needed to call q col
sdtutlonal convention and 1t cannot
had under any circumstances uni
November, 1888.
Members OF the Legislature cersainl
know these facts. No doubt the
have been made the subject OF oauc
con siderasion. Then, In the light
the knowledge they possess, how CT
those who are true friends OF constit
tional reform through 0 constitution
Safe onventi9n, favor Q voA beil
taken on the first Tuesday OF Mover
Der mex, while very large proportit
OF the voters Of the Safe will ha'
their hands tied behind their backs al
cannot vote? II would be mech bt
ter, at least more honest, 20 kill |
movements for constitutional refor
outright, than to sirangle 1t to dea
by pretended friendship. The peoI
are watching this measure and tn
will most asspredly see through I
thin guise Of reform that is intended
cover deeper Vaccinations to defeat